A Vietnam War survivor who was kicked and punched in the head by two doormen during an assault in Dublin city centre never regained consciousness and died from head injuries, a murder trial jury at the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Mr Luong Ly Minh (50), a native of Vietnam who moved to Ireland after the war to build a new life, was on his way home after a night out in Temple Bar with a Chinese friend when they were suddenly attacked on the street by two men, the jury was told by Mr Tom O'Connell SC.
Mr O'Connell was opening the case for the prosecution on the first day of the murder trial of Mr James Harmer (26), originally from Stafford, England, and Mr Noel O'Flaherty (33), of Sutton, Co Dublin. Both have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Minh at Fownes Street Upper.
They also deny assaulting Mr Dong Wei, causing him serious harm, at the same location on August 16th, 2002.
"In this case there is an assault which involved punches, kicks and at least one head butt. The two accused acted together," Mr O'Connell said.
During the assault on Mr Wei he was beaten up, covered in blood and had an injury to his nose. Mr O'Connell said each of the accused punched the two men during the assault.
Mr O'Connell told the jury they would hear eyewitness accounts from Mr Wei, who survived the assault, two taxi-drivers and other passersby who witnessed parts of the assault.
"You will also have DNA evidence which will prove that Dong Wei's blood was found on the clothes of Mr Harmer and Mr O'Flaherty," he added.
The prosecutor told the jury that on the night of August 15th, 2002, the two accused had been drinking at various pubs around the city centre.
The deceased, who ran a Chinese takeaway in Ballymun, and Mr Wei, a chef, had just left a nightclub in Temple Bar when they "were attacked all of a sudden by two men, who the prosecution says were the two accused," Mr O'Connell said.
The trial continues today .